The Department of Homeland Security is seeking applications for its Next Generation Warning System Grant Program.
Donor Name: Department of Homeland Security
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/12/2023
Size of the Grant: $56,000,000.00
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The Next Generation Warning System Grant Program (NGWSGP) makes Federal funds available to enable the adoption of emerging digital broadcast technology and standards and furthers the 2020-2024 DHS Strategic Plan Goal 5 (Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience). It also supports the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan Goal 1: Instill Equity as a Foundation of Emergency Management and Goal 3: Promote and Sustain a Ready FEMA and a Prepared Nation.
The NGWSGP will support projects that result in the adoption of the Common Alerting Protocol standard (CAP) which permits a single CAP compatible message to activate multiple compliant warning systems. Television broadcasters may leverage NGWSGP funding to upgrade to the Advanced Television Systems Committee broadcast standard (ATSC 3.0) allowing broadcast to reach a greater number of differing types of communication devices along with incorporating multimedia in alert and warning messaging. This program will support investments that improve the resilience and security of public broadcast.
FEMA intends to award this grant to a single awardee. That awardee will then manage a competitive process to solicit sub-grant applications from eligible sub-grantees to use these funds in accordance with the requirements and priorities set forth in this notice. The awardee will describe their intended approach for managing this process in their grant application, which FEMA will approve as part of the overall grant award.
Objectives
To have in place a public alert and warning system that provides timely and effective warnings using the latest broadcast technology standards, especially including areas that are traditionally underserved by broadcast providers. Specifically, this NGWSGP grant seeks to:
- Enhance capacity of local broadcast stations to receive, broadcast, and redistribute emergency alert messages from the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System using IPAWS Specification for Common Alerting Protocol (CAP);
- Implement upgrades to the NEXTGEN TV ATSC3 broadcast standard;
- Enhance technology infrastructure to ensure local public broadcast stations can launch new, enhanced broadcast services, that improve and expand the distribution of public alerts and warnings; and
- Expand the delivery and distribution of emergency alert messages from IPAWS to fill gaps in alert and warning delivery to people in underserved areas.
Priorities
FEMA and the awardee will review these priorities quarterly and refine them as needed based on evolving understanding of overall needs and opportunities. It is not FEMA’s intent for the awardee to undertake risky or low-value grant investments simply to favor a sub-grant application in a higher-priority investment area.
Across the overall objectives, the program has established priorities and funding allocation targets to provide:
- Advanced Technology for Public Broadcast Entities
- 80-90% of Grant Award Spending for upgrading television and radio stations: ATSC 3.0 or other NGWSGP technology for television and digital radio broadcast technology, equipment, and maintenance for capabilities that deliver emergency alert messages from IPAWS to people in underserved communities
- Resilience-related Equipment for Public Broadcast Entities
- 5-10% of Grant Award Spending for emergency generators and related resilience equipment for stations primarily serving underserved communities
- Training for Technology and Resilience
- 1-2% of Grant Award Spending for education and training in using NGWSGP and related technology to improve the distribution of emergency messages from IPAWS and in techniques to increase station resilience during emergencies
Funding Information
- Available Funding for the NOFO: $56,000,000.00
- Maximum Award Amount: $56,000,000.00
Project Period
- Project Period Performance Start Date(s): 10/1/2023
- Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 09/30/2026
Eligibility Criteria
- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the only eligible applicant.
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
